System and method for managing storage and program for the same for executing an operation procedure for the storage according to an operation rule

• US 20070016750A1
• Filed: 09/21/2006
• Published: 01/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Masao Suzuki
• Original Assignee: Masao Suzuki
• Inventors: Suzuki, Masao
• Granted Patent: US 7,313,659 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/170
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0604 Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. storage management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0629 Configuration or reconfiguration of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0659 Command handling arrangements, e.g. command buffers, queues, command scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

A method for managing storage devices provides a function of automatically changing a scenario and automatically making a partial change to the scenario according to a change in the environment, which are made possible by executing an operation procedure according to an operation rule for storage devices and feeding back a result of execution of the scenario. A storage managing server contains a policy definition file, a scenario definition file, a priority definition file, an execution result value file, a feedback definition file, and a scenario parameter definition file, and also obtains performance information and executes scenarios. By using all those files and processes, the storage managing server implements automatic management of a policy-based storage system.

Claims

1. A method for managing storage devices by using a computer, wherein said computer reads information about an operation rule for said storage devices accommodated previously in a memory device and information about an operation procedure being an order of execution of a plurality of operations of said storage devices associated with said operation rule for said storage devices,

wherein said operation rule defines for said operation procedure a predetermined action to be taken if a present condition is not satisfied upon execution of said operation procedure, and

wherein said computer receives an instruction to select said information about said operation rule for said storage devices from an user, sends said storage devices an instruction to execute said operation procedure of said storage devices associated with information about said operation rule based on said operation rule received, obtains a result of execution of said operation procedure, and changes the operation procedure to display on a screen the changed operation procedure compared with the operation procedure if the execution result indicates the present condition has not been satisfied.

2. A method of operational support for storage devices by using a computer, wherein said computer reads in about an operation rule for said storage devices accommodated previously in a memory device and information about an operation procedure being an order of execution of a plurality of operations of said storage device associated with said operation rule for said storage devices,

wherein said operation rule defines for said operation procedure a predetermined action to be taken if a present condition is not satisfied upon execution of said operation procedure, and

wherein said computer obtains information of a result of execution of an operation by said storage devices from said storage devices, and based on said information obtained from said storage devices, changes the operation procedure to display on a screen the changed operation procedure compared with the operation procedure if the execution result indicates the present condition has not been satisfied.